Before other comments, I would like to say my heart and prayers go out to this person, and the family involved.

I worked with about 20 transgendered people in the late 1970's  10 years later not one of them was alive as reported to me. ALSO Johns Hopkin Medical Centre as reportedly stop doing the surgical procedures, as they had an 80% fail rate.

Very few people I know have had more of a painful lonely life than the transgendered I have met.

https://spectrummagazine.org/news/2023/getting-know-sda-kinship-international-interview-floyd-poenitz

What would you say to someone who states that they can't “help” their homosexuality? I’m thinking of someone who believes that they were born that way and that they can't help the way they feel. I'm always at a loss for words when this comes up, and I don't know exactly where to point them in Scripture.

Thanks, “L”

https://www.crosswalk.com/church/pastors-or-leadership/ask-roger/common-questions-about-homosexuality.html?

https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/how-should-christians-respond-to-pride-month.html?

https://conversation.spectrummagazine.org/t/the-seventh-day-adventist-church-and-transgender-people/10282

Dear The Many Who Have Asked Me About Gay Marriage,

First, let me say that my wife Julie and I disagree about some of the things that I intend to share. That’s okay. There are many ways to look at this issue. She thinks one way; I think another way. And we both think we’re right.

These are the eight perspectives from which I look at this important, charged topic.

https://www.crosswalk.com/slideshows/8-things-you-should-know-about-gay-marriage.html?

http://adventmessenger.org/seventh-day-adventist-teachers-and-administrators-get-educated-in-rainbow-theology/

Christian parents say daughter removed from their care after refusing to affirm gender identity

By Samantha Kamman, Christian Post Reporter Friday, February 02, 2024

Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Montana's Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte said officials followed state policy in a case concerning Christian parents who claim they lost custody of their daughter after they refused to allow her to undergo experimental trans medicalization. 

The parents, Todd and Krista Kolstad, said they opposed allowing doctors to take their 14-year-old daughter down such a path, in part, because of their "values, morals, and ... religious beliefs." The state of Montana's Child and Family Services took the teen into their care last month. 

On Tuesday, Gianforte told The National Desk that he had asked Lieutenant Gov. Kirsten Juras, who's also an attorney and a conservative mother, to review the details of the case. The Republican governor also referenced his signing of Senate Bill 99 in April 2023, which prohibits body-altering surgeries for minors suffering from gender dysphoria and prevents these procedures from being funded with taxpayer dollars.

"Consulting with the director of DPHHS [Department of Public Health and Human Services] and personally examining the case documents, Lieutenant Governor Juras has concluded that DPHHS and the court have followed state policy and law in their handling of this tragic case," Gianforte said. 

According to Reduxx, Jennifer expressed a desire to end her life in August 2023 while at school. The teenager also told Child and Family Services that she had consumed toilet bowl cleaner and painkillers in a suicide attempt; however, the emergency room reportedly did not find any toxic substances in her body. 

While at the hospital, the staff reportedly called the teenage girl "Leo" and identified her as male despite the Kolstads' request that the staff call their daughter by her birth name. 

"We were very clear to the emergency room staff as well as [CFS] that this goes against our values, morals, and our religious beliefs," Jennifer's stepmother told Reduxx. "They told me to call their lawyer if I have an issue, as they will do what the patient tells them."

The teenager's stepmother claimed that the hospital placed Jennifer on suicide watch and had an aide sitting outside her door. According to Krista, she overheard the aide talking to Jennifer one day about identifying as non-binary and undergoing surgery. Another aide assigned to Jennifer allegedly scolded the stepmother for not respecting her daughter's desire to be called Leo. 

After communicating with CFS, the parents agreed that their daughter would benefit from specialized residential care for treatment. Krista claimed that CFS began discussing sending Jennifer to a place in Wyoming instead of one of the available facilities in Montana.

"And at that point, because we were already in such a state from the hospital disrespecting us and our wishes, we immediately looked up Wyoming's laws on transitioning minors," Krista said. "It looked to us like kids could go ahead and have procedures done and have hormones without parental consent."

After the parents refused to approve their daughter's transfer to a Wyoming-based facility, CFS allegedly came to the family's home with police to take Jennifer away. The reason CFS reportedly gave for removing Jennifer from the Kolstads' home is because they were "unable or refusing to provide medical care."

While the couple was not allowed to see their daughter during her relocation, Reduxx reported that the teenager allegedly told her friends that she was leaving because she was "crazy and trying to kill herself." 

"I feel this was a lapse in judgement by [CFS], a violation of HIPAA, and a miscarriage to Jennifer, as she is only 14," Krista said. "What if, when she is 17, this incident is behind her and she is in a good place mentally? This is a very small town and they have just let her brand herself as the 'crazy kid' who tried to kill themselves."

In September 2023, Jennifer returned to Montana, and she was placed in a CFS youth facility under "temporary legal custody." Then, this month, the court ordered that the CFS custody remain permanent. The girl is now living with her biological mother in Canada, who, according to statements Reduxx obtained from a counselor, Jennifer and her sister have described as abusive. 

According to the Kolstads, they have "little to no contact with Jennifer." While a judge ordered the parents not to discuss the case, according to Reduxx, the parents said they will keep defying that order. 

"We will continue to tell our story, even though we are currently in contempt of court, and try to keep other families from going through this," Krista said. "Our greatest fear is that our daughter is now going to become a victim of this system and eventually take her own life."

This is about 1 and 1/2 hours, but very interesting!!

https://adventistreview.tv/programs/counterscript?

https://www.crosswalk.com/family/parenting/how-to-respond-when-your-child-tells-you-theyre-gay.html?

https://www.propublica.org/article/utah-therapist-built-reputation-for-helping-gay-latter-day-saints-they-say-he-sexually-abused-them?

https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/biblical-truths-about-sexual-orientation-and-gender.html?

https://spectrummagazine.org/news/2023/marking-pride-month-lgbtq-news-around-adventism

https://atoday.org/potomac-conference-releases-statement-on-lgbtq-people/

The Adventist perspective tends to be a little different because we cherish religious liberty so much.  In our belief, we are willing to extend the liberty to others that we want them to extend to us.  Does doing business with someone committing a sin make the business owner a partaker in the sin?  Well, let's say I am a homebuilder and a couple comes to me and asks me to build them a home.  I know the couple is not married.  I know if I build the home for them, they will use it to live in sin.  Is it sinful for me to build the home for them?  Am I a partaker in their sin if I do?  What if I own a gas station and a Hindu man comes to buy gas on his way to worship in his temple.  He will bow down in front of graven images while in that temple.  Without my gas, he cannot get to the temple.  If I sell him the gas that allows him to go to his temple, am I a partaker in his sin?  What if I run a drug store that sells condoms?  Is it my responsibility to make sure only married people are purchasing condoms?  If I sell condoms to those that are not married, am I a partaker of their sin?  I think these examples demonstrate that it is not a clear-cut or black-and-white issue.

I am an ordained minister and I will not officiate a wedding for a same-sex couple.  I do believe that would make me a partaker in the sin.  So, there is a line someplace.  I am also a businessman and would not have any issue building a house for a same-sex couple.  Where do you think that line should be?

https://www.newsweek.com/female-frogs-estrogen-hermaphrodites-suburban-waste-369553

LGBTQIA+ Resources for SDAs

By Gregory Matthews

R:  103121

Definition:  In most circles, LGBTQIA+ means lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex, and asexual. However, the plus allows the term to cover all different subsects like allies, pansexual, androgynous, and polyamorous.

Purpose:  The purpose of this document is to provide the interested Seventh-day Adventist resources that may be helpful in a study of this group of people to include an analysis of Biblical teachings on this subject.  While some cited resources were produced by SDAs, other listed resources do not come from that background.  These resources are not listed in any order of priority. My personal agreement or disagreement with them should not be assumed.  In actual fact, I have both agreement and disagreement with listed resources.

Sources:

1)       Springett, Ronald M.  Homosexuality in History and the Scriptures: Some Historical & Biblical Perspectives on Homosexuality.  Biblical Research Institute, 1988, 173 pages.

I consider this book, while dated, to be an outstanding introduction to some of the issues related to this subject.  It is a primer that considers some basic issues that are foundational to this subject. Without understanding those foundational issues, one may not have the minimal knowledge needed to consider this subject.one such  is a discussion as to how Homosexuality is defined today to include the various meanings that are associated with it.  The discussion of its history is of interest.  Fundamental to its approach to scripture is the idea that some, not all, of the Biblical verses do not say what we may think that they say.  BRI has it currently on sale for $8.00.

2)       Guiding Families of LGBT+ Loved Ones: Adventist Edition.71 pages.  This is an Adventist edition of a work authored by Bill Henson of Lead Them Home.  It has limited availability from the North American Division. It is a compassionate response to the issues that SDA families face in dealing with their loved ones.  I am critical of the fact that it is not widely available as its distribution is tightly controlled.

3)       Gane, Roy E., Miller Nicholas P., & Swanson, H. Peter, Editors. Homosexuality, Marriage, and the Church: Biblical, Counseling, and Religious Liberty Issues.  Andrews University, 2012, 578 pages.  In the 9 years since this book was published, the issues have changed enough that it is somewhat dated.  In addition, I am critical of the fact that it does not directly address some issues that are not directly addressed in the Bible.  Regardless, our members face those issues.  It has a lot to commend for it and is a valuable source to all members who relate to such people and their families.  It cannot be summarily dismissed by any SDA who is involved in ministry.

4)      Martin, Colby. Unclobber: Rethinking Our Misuse of the Bible on Homosexuality. Westminster, John Knox Press, 2016, 187 pages.  Again this book is somewhat dated and does not deal with some of the issues faced today. A major focus is on the Biblical passages that we often cite.  It suggests that we have not always correctly understood those passages.  I tend to have some agreement, but not total agreement with their position.  Another major part of this book deals with how we relate to other people.  All in all, this book has much to consider that is of value.  However, it is not the perfect, final word on this subject.

This is a really good sermon! If you're gonna watch it you need to watch until the end!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtlwCjM6zWA

[I have watched the sermon.  It is well worth watching.  I recommend it to all--Gregory Matthews.] 

https://conversation.spectrummagazine.org/t/president-ted-wilson-issues-statement-on-homosexuality-and-the-church/15021

The above article will stimulate thought.  As for me, I am not certain that I even understand it at this point in time.

https://ronaldlawson.net/2018/05/27/the-caring-welcoming-church-the-seventh-day-adventist-church-and-its-homosexual-members/

it is an hour and a half but do listen all the way to the end

2 very important key points revealed 

https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2021/may-june/lgbt-pride-evangelical-culture-politics-equalityact.html?utm_source=CT Weekly Newsletter&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_term=396875&utm_content=5376&utm_campaign=emaol

NOTE:  Stan has suggested that we should not open new discussion thready on this issue.  So, on that basis, I am closing this thread to discussion.  It is only here for your own personal reflection.